Aerospace World By Peter Grier Homeland Defense Now Key In the wake of terrorist attacks on US territory, the Department of De- fense needs to put great new empha- sis on the defense of the homeland. So declared Gen. Richard B. Myers, the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Myers addressed the panel Sept. USAF photo by SSgt. Jeremy T. Lock 13, two days after the hijacking mas- sacre that unfolded in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylva- nia. More than 6,000 Americans died in the attacks. Exactly what the military’s role should be in this area is unclear. Myers said that he and the nation’s defense establishment had not yet developed a comprehensive new homeland defense outline. “I just know that the debate needs to take place now,” he said. USAF personnel build tri-wall aerial delivery system boxes to hold Humanitarian The attacks on the World Trade Daily Rations for Operation Enduring Freedom. On Oct. 8, C-17s air-dropped the Center and Pentagon made it clear the first load of HDRs to refugees in Afghanistan. that local civil authorities do not have all the resources they need to cope with a major catastrophe. If anything “I think those missions are per- concepts. Much of the work is being on such a scale ever happens in the haps more natural for the National done by US Joint Forces Command US again, the US military will inevita- Guard than some of the current mis- in Norfolk, Va. “They’ve got the role bly be involved. sions,” said Myers. of experimentation, which you would Sorting through homeland defense think would lead our transformation issues now will ensure “we are ready Myers Affirms Transformation efforts,” said Myers. to act in a unified way and a focused Effort Transformation is now likely to in- way,” said Myers. At the same hearing, Myers said clude changes in ways of using forces. If weapons of mass destruction are transformation of the military to meet Myers pointed out that the Air Force involved, for instance, the National the threats of a new era is something did scramble fighters, radar aircraft, Guard might be called upon to play a on which DOD is now seeing a uni- and tankers in response to the terror larger role. Response to such a di- fied effort. attacks and would do so if another saster is something Guardsmen can Under guidance from the Office of wave of attacks occurred. train for, according to the nation’s the Secretary of Defense, the ser- Among his previous jobs, Myers new military chief. vices are developing joint operational was commander in chief of North American Aerospace Defense Com- mand. The command had clear plans to deploy fighters against an external McGuire Served as Crisis Port threat, he noted, but did not practice operations against aircraft flying within McGuire AFB, N.J., served as an important transportation hub for federal American airspace. emergency teams in the days following Sept. 11. Technicians from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron worked around the clock to Bush Establishes Office of handle more than 250 tons of emergency management cargo. Some 250 mem- bers of Federal Emergency Management Agency search-and-rescue teams, as Homeland Security well as 300 military personnel, moved through the base within two days of the President Bush, in a Sept. 20 ad- disasters. dress to a joint session of Congress, “McGuire Air Force Base has served as an important staging area for several set in motion plans for creation of a of our urban search-and-rescue teams,” said Douglas Welte, of FEMA public new Cabinet–level Office of Home- affairs. “We appreciate their support. They’ve done a tremendous job.” land Security. Named to head the new coordi- 10 AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2001 nating organization was Republican Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge, a Twelve Hours in America military veteran and longtime friend of the President. What follows is a chronology of events on Sept. 11. Eastern Daylight The new office is charged with find- Time is used throughout. ing ways to coordinate various fed- eral, state, and local agencies to 8:45 a.m. First hijacked aircraft, American Airlines Flight 11 from lessen the nation’s vulnerability to Boston, crashes into north tower of World Trade Center. terrorist strikes. 9:03 a.m. Second hijacked aircraft, United Airlines Flight 175 from “Today, dozens of federal depart- Boston, slams into WTC south tower. ments and agencies, as well as state and local governments, have respon- 9:17 a.m. FAA shuts down all New York City area airports. sibilities affecting homeland security,” 9:21 a.m. Authorities close New York area bridges and tunnels. Bush said. “These efforts must be 9:30 a.m. In Florida, President Bush says events of the morning are coordinated at the highest level.” result of an “apparent terrorist attack.” Ridge will report directly to the President. He was sworn in Oct. 8. 9:38 a.m. Third hijacked aircraft, American Airlines Flight 77 from White House officials provided only Dulles Airport near Washington, hits Pentagon, setting it sketchy details of planning for the ablaze. new office. Spokesman Ari Fleischer 9:40 a.m. FAA halts US flight operations, orders aircraft to land. said the office will function in much the same way as the National Secu- 9:45 a.m. White House workers evacuate the building. rity Council, a White House office 9:57 a.m. Bush departs Florida for Barksdale AFB, La. that has a “coordinating capacity in- 10:00 a.m. WTC south tower collapses. volving State, involving Defense, in- volving CIA.” 10:03 a.m. Fourth hijacked aircraft, United Airlines Flight 93 from Newark, N.J., and on a heading to Washington, crashes in Reservists Called Up Pennsylvania. On Sept. 14, President Bush au- 10:10 a.m. Part of Pentagon collapses. thorized the call-up of up to 50,000 reservists to active duty. Of those, up 10:13 a.m. United Nations building evacuates. to 13,000 could come from the Air 10:22 a.m. State and Justice Departments are evacuated. National Guard and Air Force Re- 10:24 a.m. FAA diverts all inbound trans-Atlantic flights to Canada. serve Command. Pentagon officials did not quickly 10:28 a.m. WTC north tower collapses. make a determination as to which 10:45 a.m. US evacuates all federal buildings in Washington. units would be called up and how the call-ups would be distributed between 10:46 a.m. Secretary of State Colin Powell departs Latin America for the National Guard and Reserve. But Washington. those most likely to be mobilized 11:02 a.m. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani orders evacuation of New York would include specialists in port op- City, south of Canal Street. erations, medical support, engineer 12:04 p.m. Authorities evacuate Los Angeles Airport. support, general civil support, and homeland defense. 12:15 p.m. The INS imposes highest state of alert on borders. The number of people involuntarily 1:04 p.m. Bush, at Barksdale, addresses nation, puts military on called to active duty will almost surely worldwide alert. be significantly less than the person- nel requirement, as volunteers will fill 1:27 p.m. Officials declare state of emergency in Washington. the majority of positions, predicted 1:48 p.m. Bush departs Barksdale for Offutt AFB, Neb. officials. 2:30 p.m. FAA bans commercial air traffic until further notice. Guardsmen, Reservists 4:30 p.m. Bush departs Offutt for Andrews AFB, Md. Guaranteed Jobs Upon Return 5:20 p.m. WTC Building 7 collapses. The thousands of National Guard members and Reservists called to 6:40 p.m. Rumsfeld holds news conference, says DOD is functioning. active duty in the wake of Sept. 11’s 6:54 p.m. Bush arrives at White House. terrorist attacks should rest easy on 8:30 p.m. Bush addresses the nation, declares US will pursue those at least one matter—employment who planned and executed the attacks and nations harbor- should be waiting for them when they ing them. return. “Guardsmen and Reservists will have job protection,” said Rep. Chris Smith, House Veterans Affairs Com- mittee chairman. receive the same benefits and se- or allowed time to become qualified,” Under the federal Uniformed Ser- niority they would have accrued had said Smith. vices Employment and Re-employ- they not been on military leave. USERRA also provides some pro- ment Rights Act of 1994, employers “If they would have been eligible tection for employers. Employees are required to re-employ Guard for a promotion during their leave, must provide notice when they are members and Reservists at the same they must be given that promotion called to active duty, unless doing so position or better. They must also upon their return if they are qualified, might compromise military operations. AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2001 11 Aerospace World are called up and what benefits they When NORAD Scrambled the Fighters must continue to provide. Health in- surance must be maintained for up to At a Sept. 13 hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, many 18 months for called-up workers, if questions were asked about how North American Aerospace Defense they choose to stay with their em- Command responded to the airborne terror attacks. ployer’s policy, for instance. Employers can ask for deferral of a Gen. Richard B. Myers, then the vice chairman and now the Chairman of call-up on a case-by-case basis.